Meadows and pastures, together with forests, represent the main natural resource of medicinal plant flora. These ecosystems occupy huge areas of Serbia and are spread as primary or secondary vegetation type, depending on several external factors, as well as the influence of human activity.

For the purpose of differences identification between three cardinal grassland types (lowland, hilly and mountainous) relating to the presence of medicinal plant species, an analysis of 65 plant communities and their 150 concrete individual stands was undertaken. The taxonomical range of medicinal plants identified in meadow communities of Serbia, their life forms and contribution to the whole floristic spectrum of community were being determined.

The participation of medicinal plant species in lowland grassland communities varied from 8.7% to 42.1%. In wide spread valley grassland communities, such as Molinietum coeruleae, Agrostio-Juncetum effusi, Trifolieto-Alopecuretum pratensis etc., the following medicinal plant species may be assigned as more represented: Agropyrum repens, Lysimachia nummularia, Taraxacum officinale, Achilea millefolium, Gratiola officinalis, Cichorium intybus, Lythrum salicaria, Ranunculus repens, Potentilla reptans and others.

In hilly region of Serbia there are plenty of communities described, where of a greater importance are associations Chrysopogonetum grlylli, Danthonietum calycinae, Agrostietum vulgarae, Cynosuretum cristati, Festucetum valesiaceae and some others. Although they could be characterized as floristically rich, reflecting on representation of medicinal plants as well, there were not too many medicinal species expressing high cover degree. The species that could be set apart are: Euphrasia stricta, Filipendula hexapetala, Hypericum perforatum, Thymus sp., Achillea millefolium, etc.

Generally, mountainous grassland plant communities are narrower regarding the total floristic composition, where the participation of medicinal plant coenobionts ranged between 7.85% and 35.42%. Certain medicinal plants are well represented in such plant associations developed at higher altitudes (ass. Nardetum strictae sensu lato, Poetum violaceae, Sempervieto-Seslerietum, Anthyleto-Seslerietum rigidae, etc.), even creating a separate facies, i.e. natural finding place.

Key words: grassland communities, floristic analysis, medicinal plants.

Meadows and pastures represent very important natural resource occupying huge areas in valley, hilly and mountainous region of Serbia. The total surface covered by grasslands in our country is about 1.65 millions of ha. They are widespread in very different ecological conditions, at different altitudes, relief, soil types, climate, etc. Therefore, meadow vegetation comprises plenty of plant communities differing in floristic structure, stability and succession course. Much effort has been devoted to learning how to convert other biomes into grasslands and, once the conversion has been made, how to maintain them in this condition (Raven et al., 1999).

Meadows and pastures are developed as primary or, more frequently, as secondary type of vegetation, after cutting down the woods or through other sort of human activity. Primary grasslands develop where environmental conditions don't allow forest development, i.e. in flooded valley areas, at high altitudes and when exposed to other extraordinary conditions.

Meadow and pasture vegetation in Serbia is divided (Kojić et al., 1998) into the following classes: Class Molinio-Arrhenatheretea (hygro-mesophytic plant communities, mainly in lowland region), Festuco-Brometea (semixerophytic or xerophytic communities, mainly in hilly region), Festucetea vaginatae (communities on sand or shallow serpentine soil). In hilly-mountainous and mountainous areas of Serbia, grassland communities have been classified into the nine classes (Kojić et al., 1997), where of a higher economic importance are the Class Festuco-Seslerietea, Juncetea trifidi and Nardo-Callunetea.

Meadows and pastures of Serbia have not been still sufficiently exploited, although having great potential for cattle breeding. Beside agriculture, they may serve as main source of medicinal plant diversity and natural gene bank of different genotypes suitable for further cultivation and selection. The majority of medicinal plants spontaneously grow on meadows, sometimes forming very abundant groups. The consequence of more intensive utilization of medicinal plant finding places, was decrease of many plant populations and even disappearance of certain species. Therefore, the need for natural resource mapping, i.e. presentation of plant cover based on plant communities in each point of the area from the vegetation standpoint becomes more actual.

The aim of this study was to establish some ecological aspects of medicinal plants growing on main meadow and pasture communities in Serbia. Special attention was paid to the most frequent medicinal plants on grasslands in Serbia and therefore, of a greater economical significance.

For the purpose of synecological investigation of medicinal plants normally growing on meadows and pastures in Serbia, it was analyzed 65 plant communities and more than 150 their concrete stands. The examined communities have been described according to the principle of French-Swiss Phytocoenological School (< biblio >). This refers to ours, as well as, the results of other authors. All chosen phytocoenoses have been divided into the three groups: lowland (20 phytocoenoses), hilly (33) and mountainous (12) ones. Among them, of a greater importance, according to their extension and economical significance, are:

1. Class Molinio-Arrhenatheretea (mostly mesophyllic communities from lowland region, in valleys and often flooded): Molinietum coerulae, Deschampsietum caespitosae, Molinieto-Deschampsietum (Cincović, 1959), Ranunculo steveni-Alopecuretum pratensis, Ononido-Arrhenatheretum elatioris (Stojanović, 1986), Trifolieto-Alopecuretum pratensis (Cincović, 1956), Junco-Menthetum longifoliae, Agrostetum albae pannonicum, Alopecuretum pratensis pannonicum, Arrhenatheretum medio-europaeum, Ononido-Alopecuretum pratensis (Kojić, 1999), Brometo-Cynosuretum cristati, Poo-Alopecuretum pratensis (Jovanović, 1957), and Trifolietum resupinati (Veljović, 1967).

2. Class Festuco-Brometea (communities from hilly and hilly-mountainous region):, Danthonietum calycinae, Koelerietum montanae, Agrostietum vulgaris (Kojić et al, 1992, Pavlović, 1951, Cincović and Kojić, 1955), Chrysopogonetum grylli (Kojić, 1959), Agrostio-Chrysopogonetum grylli, Cynosuretum cristati (Gajić, 1961, Gajić, 1989), Chrysopogonetum pannonicum, Brometum erecti, Festucetum valesiacae, Chamaecytiso-Chrysopogonetum grylli, Taraxaco-Festucetum valesiacae, Thymo-Chrysopogonetum grylli, Inulo salicinae-Calamagrostietum epigeios, Koelerieto-Festucetum wagneri, Festuco-Potentilletum arenariae (Kojić, 1999), Rhinantho-Festucetum pratensis, Festuco-Chrysopogonetum grylli (Ružić, 1983) and Artemisio-Salvietum offcinalis (Nikolić and Diklić, 1966).

3. Classes Festuco-Seslerietea, Nardo-Callunetea and Juncetea trifidi (mountainous communities at rocks, serpentine, calcareous dry and shallow soils): Anthyleto-Seslerietum rigidae, Sempervireto-Seslerietum argenteae (Jovanović, 1956, Lakušić, ), Nardetum strictae (Kojić et al., 1995), Poo violaceae-Nardetum strictae, Trifolio-Nardetum (Gajić, 1989), Poetum violaceae, Poeto alpinae-Plantaginetum carinatae (Kojić et al., 1992), Festuco-Plantaginetum serpentini (Ranđelović and Ružić, 1983) and others.

The criterion for medicinal plant species was the list defined previously by Serbian Science Academy (Sarić, 1989). In each community the following parameters were separately being analyzed: the participation of medicinal plants to the whole floristic composition (expressed in %), taxonomical range, and life forms of medicinal plants (Kojić, 1997). These results were afterwards grouped for lowland, hilly and mountainous communities on account of gathering the differences between these three groups.

Medicinal flora is very abundant in meadow and pasture communities. There is total of 198 medicinal species identified that spontaneously grow on main grasslands of Serbia. They could be classified into 136 genus of 49 families. The majority of medicinal plants develops in hilly meadow associations, where the total of 161 species has been identified, accounting for more than 80% of total number of medicinal plants growing at Serbian grasslands (Tab.1). The smallest number of medicinal plants was registered in mountainous meadow phytocoenoses, because of their floristic poverty and lower diversity. However, it is obvious that analyzed plant meadow communities are real and main source of native medicinal plants, comprising more than 90% of total medicinal plants living in Serbia.

Such a great diversity of medicinal plants found on analyzed grasslands in Serbia illustrates the floristic richness, complexity, as well as utilization potential of this vegetation type. Different medicinal plants prefer various habitats; i.e. they express certain ecological plasticity toward environmental factors depending on morphological and physiological adaptive mechanisms. Therefore, some meadow plant species may be detected only on narrow range of altitudes, while the others can be found almost everywhere. The review of the most frequent medicinal plants (51 species) in meadow communities in Serbia (Tab. 2) has shown that several plant species grow on heterogeneous grassland phytocoenoses, including both valley and hilly - mountainous region (Achillea millefolium, Filipendula hexapetala, Galium verum, Plantago lanceolata, Rumex acetosa, Prunella vulgaris), while the most of them are quite obligatory connected to the smaller number of associations in confided areas. For example, species like: Gratiola officinalis, Lythrum salicaria, Lysimachia nummularia, Mentha pulegium, Ranunculus repens, Symphytum officinalis and some others, could be identified only in lowland plant communities. On the contrary, Antennaria dioica, Veratrum album, Vaccinium myrtillus, Orchis morio, Hieracium pilosella, Anthyllis vulneraria, etc. appear exclusively in hilly-mountainous meadow and pasture associations. Some of medicinal plants determined in meadow communities of Serbia are almost indifferent toward the altitude (Veronica chamaedrys, Rumex acetosa, Plantago lanceolata, Galium verum, Euphorbia cyparissias). The most frequent medicinal plants in investigated grassland associations were: Achillea millefolium, Euphorbia cyparissias, Rumex sp., Galium verum, Plantago lanceolata, Prunella vulgaris, Taraxacum officinalis.

All determined medicinal plants of grasslands in Serbia could be classified into the 10 life forms. It is obvious (Tab. 3) that perennial plant species, especially hemicriptophytes dominated, mainly in hilly and mountainous region. Life forms comprising plants with subterraneous organs, such as geophytes and biannual species were also well presented. Obtained results confirm an important feature of meadow vegetation type about prevailing perennial to annual plants designating the stability of meadow ecosystems.

The contribution of medicinal plants to the whole floristic composition of most spread phytocoenoses of three district regions of Serbia has shown high variability among different communities (Fig. 1).

The participation of medicinal flora in lowland communities ranged between almost 10% - in floristically poor association Deschampsietum caespitosae and more than 40% in communities such as Trifolietum resupinati and Ononido-Arrhenatheretum elatioris.

In hilly meadows the participation of medicinal plants was generally higher and more regular. The most abundant with medicinal plants were associations Agrostietum vulgaris, Agrostio-Festucetum valesiacae, Thymo-Chrysopogonetum grylli and Inulo salicinae-Calamagrostietum epigeio. Very rare, but important plant community - Artemisio-Salvietum officinalis, developed on shallow soils of limited area in south Serbia, showed the lowest participation of medicinal plants, although impressive sage exemplars may be seen only there.

Figure 1. Participation of medicinal plant species in floristic spectrum
of main meadow associations in Serbia

Mountainous communities are generally less significant for economy, because they cover smaller areas and express lower quality comparing to lowland and hilly meadows. Besides, mountainous pastures are floristically much simpler comprising therefore less number of medicinal plants than communities from two other parts of the country (lowland and hilly). Relatively rich with medicinal plants was ass. Poeto alpinae-Plantaginetum carinatae, as well as communities of Nardetum type, while the poorest were communities developed at high altitude, on shallow, rocky ground, such as: Poetum violaceae and Anthyleto-Seslerietum rigidae. In all cases the participation of medicinal plants in floristic composition of mountainous phytocoenoses was less than 40% (ranging from 7.85% to 35.42%). The following survey of most abundant medicinal plants in distinctive meadow and pasture communities was prepared only for species with high degree of presence - IV or V and coverage/ abundance values - from 2.2.to 5.4.).

The majority of the most abundant and frequent medicinal plants of meadows in Serbia develop in hilly or in hilly-mountainous plant communities. An exception is Gratiola offcinalis, which may be found in greater quantities only in mesomorphic, partly flooded valley meadows.

The subject of this study was an analysis of medicinal flora spontaneously growing on meadows and pastures in Serbia. Meadow communities in Serbia are divided into the lowland, hilly and mountainous ones. Although huge areas covered by meadows and pastures are not sufficiently utilized, grasslands represent the major natural resource of medicinal plants, as the total of 198 medicinal plants included into the 136 genus of 49 families was determined. More of 80% of medicinal plants is associated with hilly meadow communities of Class Festuco-Brometea. The most abundant with medicinal plants (more than 40% contributed medicinal plants to the whole floristic composition) were communities: Agrostietum vulgaris, Agrostio-Festucetum valesiacae, Inulo salicinae-Calamagrostietum epigeio, while among valley plant communities the ass. Trifolietum resupinati and Ononido-Arrhenatheretumelatioris were more significant. Regarding the life forms, in communities of all three regions dominated perennial species, especially hemicryptophytes. Syntaxonomical affiliation of most abundant meadow medicinal plants indicated the specific preference to the certain plant community. For example, pretty plentiful in hilly meadow association - Agrostietum vulgaris was species Euphrasia rostkoviana, while in poor pasture communities at higher altitudes, like ass. Poa alpina-Plantago carinata, Nardetum strictae sensu lato, Asperuleto-Agrostietum vulgareae, Hieracio pilosellae-Festucetum valesiaceae, Verbasco-Festucetum rupicolae, etc. different thyme species (Thymus sp.) in higher quantities may be found.

1. Cincović T. (1956): Tipovi livada u Posavini. Zbornik radova Poljoprivrednog fakulteta, god. IV, sv. I., Beograd.

2. Cincović T. (1959): Livadska vegetacija u rečnim dolinama zapadne Srbije. Zbornik radova Poljoprivrednog fakulteta, 7, Beograd.

3. Cincović T., Kojić M. (1962): O livadskoj asocijaciji Danthonietum calycinae u zapadnoj Srbiji. Arh. Polj. nauke, 47, Beograd.

4. Gajić M. (1961): Fitocenoze i staništa planine Rudnik i njihove degradacione faze. Doktorska disertacija. Glasnik Šumarskog fakulteta, 23, Beograd.

5. Gajić M. (1980): Pregled vrsta flore SR Srbije sa biljnogeografskim oznakama. Glasn. Šum. fak., A, 54. Beograd.

6. Gajić M. (1989): Flora i vegetacija Golije i Javora. Šumarski fakultet. Beograd.

7. Gajić M., Kojić M., Karadžić D., Vasiljević M., Stanić M. (1992): Vegetacija Nacionalnog parka Tara. Šumarski fakultet. Beograd.

8. Jovanović-Dunjić R. (1955): Tipovi livada i pašnjaka na Rtnju. Zborn. Inst. za ekol. i biogeograf. SANU, 7. Beograd.

9. Jovanović-Dunjić R. (1957): Tipovi dolinskih livada Jasenice. Arh. biol. nauka, 9. Beograd.

10. Jovanović-Dunjić R., Stefanović K., Popović R., Dimitrijević J. (1986): Prilog poznavanju livadskih ekosistema na području Velikog Jasrepca. Glas. Inst. bot. Bot. bašte, 20, 7-22.

11. Kojić M., Cincović T: (1955): Livadske fitocenoze Maljena. Zborn. Polj. Fak., 3. Beograd.

12. Kojić M. (1959): Zastupljenost, uloga i značaj đipovine (Chrysopogon gryllus Trin.) u livadskim fitocenozama zapadne Srbije - fitocenološka studija. Dokt. disertac. Arh. Polj. nauke , 46. Beograd.

13. Kojić M., Mrfat-Vukelić S., Dajić Z., Ajder S. (1995): Rasprostranjenje, osnovne karakteristike i pravci daljih istraživanja zajednice Nardetum strictae sensu lato u Srbiji. Glas.Inst. bot. Bot. ba{te, 28. Beograd.

14. Kojić M., Mrfat-Vukelić S., Dajić Z., Ajder S., Stošić M., Lazarević D. (1992): Livadska vegetacija Rudnjanske visoravni i Radočela. Medicinske komunikacije. Beograd i Institut za krmno bilje . Kruševac.

15. Kojić M., Popović R., Karadžić B. (1997): Vaskularne biljke Srbije kao indikatori staništa. Institut za istraživanja u poljoprivredi "Srbija" i Institut za biol. Istraž. "Siniša Stanković". Beograd.

16. Kojić M., Popović R., Karadžić B. (1998): Sintaksonomski pregled vegetacije Srbije. Inst. biol. istraž."Siniša Stanković ". Beograd.

17. Kojić M., Kišgeci J., Mihajlov M., Cvetković M. (1999): Lekovite biljke Vojvodine. Institut za istraž. u polj. :Srbija", Savezno ministarstvo za poljoprivredu i Savezni zavod za biljne i životinjske genetičke resurse, Beograd.

18. Lakušić D. (1993): Visokoplaninska flora Kopaonika. Magistarska teza, Biološki fakultet, Beograd.

19. Nikolić V, Diklić N. (1966): Zajednica žalfije i rudinskog pelina Artemisio-Salvietum officinalis u Sićevačkoj klisari. Glasn. Prirodnj. muzeja, B, 21. Beograd.

20. Pavlović Z. (1951): Vegetacija planine Zlatibor. Zborn. rad. Inst. ekol. i biogeo. SANU, 2. Beograd.

21. Ranđelović N., Ružić M. (1983): Pašnjačka serpentinska vegetacija jugoistočne Srbije (asocijacija Festuco-Plantaginetum serpentini). Glasn. Prirodnj. muzeja, B, 38. Beograd.

22. Raven P.H., Evert R.F., Eichorn S.E. (1999): Biology of Plants. W.H. Freeman & Co Worth Publishers.

23. Ružić M. (1981): Ekološko-fitocenološka studija flore i vegetacije planine Vidojevice kod Prokuplja. Dokt. disertacija. PMF. Beograd.

24. Ružić M. (1983): Asocijacija Festuco-Chrysopogonetum grylli na planini Vidojevici kod Prokuplja. Glasn. Prirod. muzeja, B, 38. Beograd.

25. Sarić M. (ed.) (1989): Lekovite biljke Srbije. SANU, Odelenje prirodno-mat. nauka, Beograd.

26. Stojanović S. (1986): Elementi dolinskih livada u vegetaciji Titelskog brega. Zbornik radova sa naučnog skupa "Čovek i biljke", 403-409, Novi Sad.

27. Veljović V. (1967): Dolinske livade Gruže. Glasn. Prirodnj. muzeja, B, 22. Beograd.

28. Westhoff V., Van der Maarel E. (1973): The Braun-Blanquet approach. In: Whittaker R.H. (ed.). Handbook of vegetation Sci., 5, 616-726.